It is well known to prepare photosensitive compositions comprising a photosensitive agent and a polymeric binder and to utilize such compositions in the preparation of lithographic printing plates which can be developed with aqueous neutral or alkaline developing solutions. In such compositions, it is common practice to utilize a diazo resin as the photosensitive agent. The lithographic printing plates typically comprise a metal substrate, such as a substrate of anodized aluminum, which is coated with a photosensitive composition comprising the diazo resin, the polymeric binder and other ingredients such as colorants, stabilizers, exposure indicators, surfactants, and the like.
Many different polymers have been proposed for use as binders in the aforesaid photosensitive compositions. Particular advantages have been achieved by the use of acetal polymers as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,652,604, 4,741,985, and 4,940,646.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,652,604, the acetal polymer contains acetal groups of three types, namely six-membered cyclic acetals, five-membered cyclic acetals and intermolecular acetals. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,985, the acetal polymer is a mono-acetal containing a six-membered cyclic acetal group. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,646, the acetal polymer contains vinyl acetal units derived from an aldehyde that contains hydroxyl groups.
Acetal polymers can be advantageously utilized in lithographic printing plates in which the layer containing the acetal polymer and the diazo resin is the sole radiation-sensitive layer. They can also be usefully employed in so-called "dual layer" plates. In this type of lithographic printing plate, a radiation-sensitive layer containing a diazo resin is coated over an anodized aluminum support and a radiation-sensitive layer containing a photocrosslinkable polymer is coated over the layer containing the diazo resin. Such dual layer plates are described, for example, in British Patent No. 1 274 017. They are advantageous in that radiation-sensitive layers containing diazo resins adhere much more strongly to most anodized aluminum supports than do radiation-sensitive layers containing photocrosslinkable polymers. Thus, the enhanced performance provided by photocrosslinkable polymers is achieved without sacrificing the excellent adhesive properties of diazo resin compositions.
While lithographic printing plates containing the acetal polymers of the prior art have generally performed in an effective manner, improvement in providing a more durable oleophilic image that is abrasion-resistant, resistant to chemical attack, capable of quick rollups and capable of extended press performance, has remained a critical need in the art. Accordingly, it is toward the objective of providing novel acetal polymers, capable of effectively meeting the needs of the lithographic printing plate art, that the present invention is directed.